Friday, January 2, 2004
Review of PhatPad v1.1
Posted by Tim Allen in "SOFTWARE" @ 11:00 AM
I have a guilty secret to confess. Sometimes I write things down on paper. You know, a quick reminder, a few things I need to buy, to do, to remember. I have a pocket computer costing hundreds of pounds that's capable of storing a vast quantity of information in a variety of structured formats, but the simple truth is that sometimes I just find it quicker and easier to scribble short snippets of information down on paper. To cap it all, I usually then re-enter these scribblings into the Pocket PC, sometimes only a few minutes later. What I need is a Pocket PC application that, well, acts like a piece of paper. Nothing has yet come close enough to totally stop me reaching for the pen, but PhatPad, the latest contender, looks like it might be in with a chance.
PhatPad from PhatWare Corporation is on the face of it a simple note taking tool along the lines of the built-in Notes application. However, on closer examination it has enough additional features and usability enhancements to make it a far more useful application. I looked at version 1.1.
Note Files and Formats
PhatPad notes are stored in files using its own proprietary file format. Each note can consist of up to 1,000 virtual 'pages' of handwriting, and the number of notes you can have is only limited by your storage memory. If you're launching PhatPad for the first time, or after manually shutting it down (there's no Exit option), then you're presented with a new note automatically. Otherwise you get the file browser.
Figure 1: The file browser; PhatPad notes can be stored anywhere.
PhatPad allows you to create notes with a variety of resolutions ranging from the actual screen size up to 1024 by 1024, and comes with enough zoom options to make the most of them. There's no wordwrap though as you zoom in and out.
Figure 2: The different zoom levels.
Handwriting
The key to PhatPad is its so-called digital ink technology, which makes handwriting on the screen very smooth. There's no jerkiness and no delay between moving the stylus and something appearing on screen, which is a marked improvement over Pocket PC's built-in Notes app. It does almost feel like writing on paper as you can scribble things down very quickly indeed.
Figure 3: Your handwriting with PhatPad will only be as good - or bad - as your writing with paper.
You can also choose to write in a variety of colours and line thicknesses to simulate your favourite pen.
Figure 4: Ink settings.
Editing
You can switch to 'Erase' mode and every line you touch with the stylus is magically deleted. This works in a fairly intelligent fashion, to the extent that you can delete most words with a single swipe.
Figure 5: Rubbing out a word in erase mode.
There's also a 'Select' mode, with the usual Cut, Copy and Paste options, but you can only copy and paste from one page to another; there's no way to re-position the 'cursor' elsewhere on the same page. Similarly you can't drag and drop the selection. Other editing features include Undo and Redo and the ability to Clear or Delete the current page.
Text Note
Each PhatPad note can also optionally include an additional single text note, which consists of text either typed using the soft input panel (SIP) or recognised from your handwriting - more on this later.
Figure 6: The text note; the divider can be moved up or down.
You can choose whether to show or hide the text note.
PhatPad from PhatWare Corporation is on the face of it a simple note taking tool along the lines of the built-in Notes application. However, on closer examination it has enough additional features and usability enhancements to make it a far more useful application. I looked at version 1.1.
Note Files and Formats
PhatPad notes are stored in files using its own proprietary file format. Each note can consist of up to 1,000 virtual 'pages' of handwriting, and the number of notes you can have is only limited by your storage memory. If you're launching PhatPad for the first time, or after manually shutting it down (there's no Exit option), then you're presented with a new note automatically. Otherwise you get the file browser.
Figure 1: The file browser; PhatPad notes can be stored anywhere.
PhatPad allows you to create notes with a variety of resolutions ranging from the actual screen size up to 1024 by 1024, and comes with enough zoom options to make the most of them. There's no wordwrap though as you zoom in and out.
Figure 2: The different zoom levels.
Handwriting
The key to PhatPad is its so-called digital ink technology, which makes handwriting on the screen very smooth. There's no jerkiness and no delay between moving the stylus and something appearing on screen, which is a marked improvement over Pocket PC's built-in Notes app. It does almost feel like writing on paper as you can scribble things down very quickly indeed.
Figure 3: Your handwriting with PhatPad will only be as good - or bad - as your writing with paper.
You can also choose to write in a variety of colours and line thicknesses to simulate your favourite pen.
Figure 4: Ink settings.
Editing
You can switch to 'Erase' mode and every line you touch with the stylus is magically deleted. This works in a fairly intelligent fashion, to the extent that you can delete most words with a single swipe.
Figure 5: Rubbing out a word in erase mode.
There's also a 'Select' mode, with the usual Cut, Copy and Paste options, but you can only copy and paste from one page to another; there's no way to re-position the 'cursor' elsewhere on the same page. Similarly you can't drag and drop the selection. Other editing features include Undo and Redo and the ability to Clear or Delete the current page.
Text Note
Each PhatPad note can also optionally include an additional single text note, which consists of text either typed using the soft input panel (SIP) or recognised from your handwriting - more on this later.
Figure 6: The text note; the divider can be moved up or down.
You can choose whether to show or hide the text note.
